Alliance to Detect Bacteria in Platelets

A joint research program will seek to establish the suitability of new technology for the rapid detection of bacterial contamination in blood platelets.

Participating in this program are Acolyte Biomedica Ltd. (Salisbury, UK) and the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS, Edinburgh, UK). Under their joint agreement, both parties will collaborate and share resources in order to develop a version of Acolyte's BacLite diagnostic test system that has the potential to detect bacteria in platelets within two to four hours, dramatically improving the current testing time that can take several days.

There are more than four million platelet transfusions per year worldwide. Sensitive and speedy testing results are critical, since donated platelets routinely have a shelf life of only five days and must be stored at ambient temperature. For those units that may be contaminated with bacteria, the need to store at room temperature levels promotes bacterial growth, and testing at the time of preparation may not detect low levels of bacteria.

Acolyte recently launched its BacLite rapid test for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the first commercial application of its adenylate kinase (AK) technology. AK is a constitutive enzyme present in all micro organisms, and its detection provides a sensitive test that may be well-suited to detect platelet contamination. If successful, the research partners will extend their collaboration into a full product-development program.

"Blood services around the world are all faced with the same challenge: how can we reduce the risk of platelet contamination and maintain a supply of fresh platelets? Acolyte can provide a new detection technology that promises dramatic reductions in the time to result. Together, we offer the best prospect of delivering a practical and cost-effective solution to a pressing healthcare need,” observed Keith Thompson, national director of SNBTS.





Related Links:
Acolyte Biomedica
SNBTS